Working Unplugged in a Digital World

When your laptop, tablet, or e-reader battery is drained, do you panic? Do you worry nothing will get done as you scramble for an outlet to recharge?

With some airlines banning devices (temporarily, we hope), many wonder how they’ll do any work.

Believe it or not, there was a time when we got work done without any lithium-ion powered devices. And you still can today, should you need to, or want to – for nostalgia’s sake.

Remember days gone by when a pen and paper was all you needed?

You began shaping your multitasking and organizational skills with Duo-Tangs, then Trapper Keepers, later on graduating to having your trusty Filofax glued to your side. There were even agendas fashioned into leather cases with pop up handles resembling a briefcase. You were productive, with style.

What would happen should a page tear a hole? We had binder reinforcements to do the trick, keeping your notes happily (and sturdily) attached to the binder rings. No more lost pages falling out for prying eyes to see your paradigm doodles.

How could you possibly differentiate your notes without your laptop’s highlighter function? Well physical highlighters are still popular in a rainbow of colours, and there’s even multi-coloured 4-in-1 push pens. Because you want to write in different colours, especially in green.

If using a pencil is your jam, try a Papermate mechanical pencil; no sharpener required. Ready for your spontaneous thoughts, erasable for your private thoughts.

At Acart, many designers and art directors get in the zone by sketching ideas on paper. A good storyboard almost always comes from one drawn first. Many account executives take hand written notes during meetings. You can’t be loudly typing away while on call with a client. Proof reading work is done best with a red pen in hand.

The best part of working off the grid is activating that grey matter between your ears. Some of the best ideas have come from a simple note jotted down on a piece of paper or a cocktail napkin. Working non-digitally frees you from the distractions of the interweb, so you can get the job done, even if it were a post-apocalyptic world.

May your job be ever in your favour.

If working creatively – both plugged and unplugged – is your thing, perhaps there may be a place for you at Acart Communications.